Harvest Moon The Secret Lullaby
by Shaneypooh
Summary: In stasis. I'll work on this later.
1. A Trip to See Grandpa

Harvest Moon  
  
The Secret Lullaby  
  
By- Sleepy Sheep  
  
A.N~ First fanfic, so if it sucks you know the reason why. FanFiction.net is trying to be a bitch to me so the format may be screwed up. I only own myself and also own any names I give to previously nameless characters but obviously not the characters themselves. I am using Final Fantasy's currency because Gil is better than G, isn't it? I altered house designs to make it more realistic. Where do Harris, Rick, and Saibarra sleep? How about this: Where do the adults sleep? The Vineyard only has one bed ya know. Where is the bar owner all day? So many questions. This is not a "List of good questions fanfic"... so I will stop. This will be a HM 64 / Save the Homeland crossover probably. I have not played Back to Nature yet but anyways, here is the first chapter or whatever.  
  
Chapter 1-A trip to see Grandpa  
  
I had always hated all the noise of the city. Lived with it all my life. The constant noise of traffic going down the road. The blare of the horns in rush hour. The smell of the air.. disgusting. I never could get used to it. I was cursed to put up with it so long. All that would change tomorrow.. My grandpa was very sick . He had a farm out in a small backwater village far off. Twenty years of living in the city, I was glad to leave even if just for a day. Maybe I'd stay for a while; the fresh air would do me good and I would get much more peace and quiet out there.. I looked over to my Metallica CD's, maybe not.. heh heh. I decided I would take some clothes in case I could stay for a few days. No way was I going to leave my Metallica either. It would be a long trip after all. I didn't like living here, maybe I could find a place to live there. I know Grandpa's house is small so I don't think I can stay there at his house. Come to think of it.. it had been about fourteen or  
fifteen years since I had been there. I stayed at the farm during the summer with him and Grandma. When she died, my dad didn't have time to take me. It was his mother, why didn't he go? I sometimes can't understand him. Honestly, I almost never can understand his way of thinking. I was glad to be going back though. Dad criticized Grandpa for not coming to the city. Dad doesn't understand the value of the fresh air and the quiet atmosphere of the country. I missed it a lot. I worked with my dad. He runs a business. I had a boring desk job. I was off today so I was just sitting around in my little apartment, watching TV. There was nothing on so I decided to think about tomorrow. I was worried about Grandpa, dad said he was in bad shape. I was pretty bored so I eventually took a shower and went to bed early.  
  
I dreamed that night, of what I can't remember, before I knew it, it was time to wake up. An early start for a long ride. I changed clothes then I grabbed my walkman and CD's and walked out the door. As I walked out I looked back. An old beaten up couch, plain white walls with many stains scattered across them, a TV, my Nintendo Sixty-Four with several games that I had already gotten tired of, a kitchen and a small bathroom. What a dump. It made me glad to be leaving, made me want to stay gone in fact. Short, dark brown hair, brown eyes, a short goatee, that's me. By the way, my name is Shane. Since it will be a long trip I'll tell you more about myself. I'm listening to a Metallica CD but I will try not to sing along while I am talking. I was an only child, born a few days before Summer; the twenty-sixth of Spring. My mother died when I was eight.. My grandma died when I was seven.. They both sang to me to put me to sleep when I was very little. I don't really remember much  
else about them because I was so young when they passed away. Dad told me I was never the same after that; who would be? I don't feel like saying anymore about that. School was boring, but I was the smartest in class. I never felt like doing my homework, so eventually my grades started dropping. Dad got upset because of that and made me do my homework before I did anything. I'm glad all that is over now. I did well but I hated school. Dad blamed that on my mother's death. So much he blamed on that. My mother.. was she just an excuse to him? I don't have anything against him, but it isn't right.  
  
My dad packed sandwiches for the trip, so I grabbed one and looked inside. Ham, cheese, and mayo, white bread. I took a bite out of it and looked out the window. We were passing a field and along side the road there was an old barb wire fence. Far beyond the fence, there were cows grazing. One blankly looked towards us as we passed by and resumed it's eating. Hours passed and nothing happened so I turned off my walkman and laid back in the seat and closed my eyes. I wasn't tired enough to sleep but I thought long and hard on what I was going to do when I got to Grandpa's farm. He'd certainly be glad to see me again. I hoped he would be okay. Dad looked like he was thinking about something too. More hours passed, full of thoughts, Metallica, and a little sleep. As the sun began to set, we pulled in to a motel. I looked at him.  
  
"Dad? Why are we stopping here? It isn't that much further is it?"  
  
"I have an important meeting tonight, so someone from the village will come pick you up and take you the rest of the way to your grandpa's from here," he replied.  
  
"Can't you just skip this meeting dad? This is more important than work."  
  
"I really wish I could Shane, but this is a very important meeting."  
  
He took his job very seriously, but I guess you have to in his line of work if you want to succeed. No one slacked off on the job when he was around. I worked for him.. I knew. He even kept track of our output rates. We couldn't goof off when he was gone either because he knew approximately how much work we should have done by the time he got back. Dad was well respected.. not well liked. My co-workers all called him a slave driver and I couldn't argue. The price of success..  
  
Dad had went to collect the room key so I stood at the car while he took care of everything. I didn't see anyone waiting for me so I looked over at the motel office. A sign in the window said "Help Wanted" and through the window I could see dad and the manager talking and then the man handed dad the key. I watched dad walk out and he handed me the key.  
  
"He hasn't gotten here yet so you can wait in the room until he gets here. I have to go now, take the key with you when you leave. Its for room eight. I'll meet you at Grandpa's house tonight after my meeting, okay?" Dad opened the car door and got in and pulled it shut.  
  
"A'ight... why tonight? Why can't you blow off this one meeting? What if grandpa..."  
  
I couldn't finish the sentence; I hadn't really looked at it like Grandpa could die tonight.. or was already dead.  
  
"I'll tell you tomorrow about everything. Your ride should be here soon. I'll see you later," he said, and then cranked up the car, pulled out of the parking lot, and drove off in the direction we came from. There was no point in waiting out here. Spring had just started and it was still cold at night. I walked over to the rooms and found the door, it was missing the eight but the paint was faded around where it once was. I already had a bad feeling about this room, but I was cold so I put the key in and unlocked the door. When I opened the door, I was hit by a gust of air that nauseated me. What the hell died in there? I reached in and found a light switch by the door. No way I went in without that on. I flipped the switch and... the room was trashed. Completely trashed. There was an apologetic note from the manager for the condition of the room, but this was a disgusting sight. Old pizza covered in mold, beer cans, vomit... The bare light bulb stared at me from the  
ceiling, the TV was broken, and I couldn't breathe. Damn it, I had to piss too. In here though? I really had to go. I held my nose and headed for the bathroom. When I opened the door, I found the bathroom to be much more disgusting than the mess I had just walked through. The toilet was full to the brim with dark brown water and it had spilled over too. The floor had brown stains all around the toilet but I really had to go. I looked at the bathtub and found a similar mess there too. Still holding my breath, I quickly pulled down my pants and boxers and urinated in the bathtub. I couldn't hold my breath anymore so I jerked my boxers and pants back up and ran outside and not a moment too soon. I closed the door behind me and exhaled forcefully and inhaled deeply. My breathing was heavy but it slowed down as I caught my my breath. My chest ached but it could be worse. I would have dad send the Board of Sanitation down here later. I wanted to drag the manager out here and lock  
him in the room until it was clean, but a truck drove into the parking lot then. The man motioned for me so I guess this was my ride. As I got into the truck the man looked at me before driving off. The man was huge and wore white suspenders, a grey shirt, and jeans. Both shirt and jeans were old, faded, and stained. Was I on my way to Hickville?  
  
"So, you are Eddie's grandson?"he asked.  
  
"Yeah, how well do you know Grandpa?"  
  
"He was a great man. I used to do most of my business with him,"he replied,"but he has been too weak to run his farm for years."  
  
"Is he gonna be okay?" I was beginning to worry more and more now. I didn't know he was in such bad shape.  
  
"I don't think so... He hasn't been out of his bed in over a week now."  
  
"Oh...," I guess things were much worse than I thought. But I really didn't know anything except he was sick. "I didn't know he was that sick."  
  
"He has taken a turn for the worse since word was sent to you and your dad. No one expects him to live through the night now."  
  
"......" No words would come out. I tried to talk but it was if my throat closed up. He seemed to notice how I was feeling now, and he stopped talking about it. I noticed that I left my walkman, CD's, and my clothes in my dad's car. We continued down the highway for what must have been at least an hour, I was absorbed in my thoughts and didn't pay any attention. Then he turned onto a small road.  
  
"We're almost there,"he said turning to me. "Flower Bud Village is a small place, so no one needs a car to get around. Naturally there aren't any roads there so you will have to walk to Eddie's from my house."  
  
"...okay..." I muttered, still not paying very much attention. I just wanted to get there before it was too late. I had to see him before he died. The pavement ended and the road below us turned to dirt as we continued to press onward toward his house. The house came into view and the truck stopped beside it.  
  
"Well, this is it," he said, opening the door and climbing out of the truck. I did the same. This guy was at least a foot taller than me, maybe a foot and a half. After stretching my legs, I decided to set out and find the farm on my own. He joined me before I left his yard. We passed a large house surrounded by ivy. It was a nice house, but I knew it wasn't Grandpa's. Of course not. Nearby in the same direction was a small shack, somewhat the opposite of the house we had just walked by. There wasn't a farm with it but he stopped there anyway.  
  
"You go on ahead," he said. "I'm going to see my little girl and my mother. Just keep walking and you can't miss it. Its straight ahead," he added, pointing in the direction we had been walking. I looked past the small house and saw several other buildings obscured by the darkness of night, made visible by the soft light of the moon overhead. As I passed a larger house, I noticed a chocolate brown dog watching me. It barked at me and momentarily a door opened and an old man looked at me and nodded, knowing why I was here. He pointed too, the same way the other man had pointed. The dog barked again and trotted up to the old man and the door closed. It seemed clear that my destination was further ahead. I came upon a wide open area with no houses next. I could see a path leading back and far to my left, what appeared to be a farm on a hill. Beyond I made out a bridge and heard water sweeping calmly by. So peaceful... Wait, that's not why I am here... He said straight ahead, so  
I walked straight ahead. There was a fence grown over with weeds and an open gate with a sign. I examined the sign but the lettering was faded and was no longer legible.  
  
I looked through the gate at a small shack, worn from many years of rain and wind. Through a dusty window I noticed a faint light. The house wasn't painted and was rather ugly. Was this the place? It was smaller than I remembered, but they say everything seems bigger when you are a kid. I guess that is true. I walked across the yard trying to see in through the window. When I got to the window I could barely see through the dirty glass. I couldn't distinguish anything apart because of the grime so I knocked at the door. There was no reply and that worried me. I knew this was the farm; there was an old barn nearby and the path ended at the gate behind me. I made up my mind and decided to let myself in. The door wasn't locked and it creaked as it opened. I looked in hoping to find Grandpa alive and saw him laying on the bed, pale as a ghost. His eyes were closed but he was breathing. His thin hair was gray, nearly white, and he had a slightly thicker mustache but still rather  
thin. As I approached him I saw his eyes flicker and then open slowly. They wandered a bit and then focussed on me.  
  
"So he finally let you come back," he said as traces of a pained smile began to appear on his face but quickly vanished.  
  
"I'm sorry I couldn't have come sooner," I replied, nodding to what he said.  
  
"No," he said shaking his head,"it isn't... your fault. " He was losing his breath and that worried me. I felt bad not coming sooner. I was sure that I could have talked Dad into letting me come sometime in my teen years, and I should have come up when I got my license. But then again, I didn't know the way.  
  
"I should have bugged Dad more about bringing me..."  
  
"No.. Shane...," he interrupted, "Do you... remember why he wouldn't... let you come back?"  
  
"No," I shook my head, beginning to frown slightly.  
  
"I.. see..," he said coughing. "Your Grandma... really wanted to see you again before... she... died."  
  
"I love you Grandpa," I said, bending over and hugging my frail grandfather.  
  
"I love... you too...," he replied, hugging me back weakly, coughing harder now.  
  
"Are you okay?" I asked. His health was fading away before my eyes and I could do nothing to stop it or slow it down.  
  
"Listen... Shane, I.. have to.. tell you something...," his voice was weakening. "I... want... you.. to......," his voice then became a low, distorted mumble and I couldn't understand what he was saying.  
  
My eyes welled up with tears; I knew he had breathed his last and died as the mumbling stopped. I checked to see if he was breathing but I already knew he wasn't. The tears slowly ran down my cheeks and I sat on the floor to think and wait for Dad.  
  
A.N~ In case you haven't fell asleep yet, I am writing a note here. It may take a month for me to write another chapter because I am a slow writer usually. Writer's block is my unwanted house guest/roommate/pain in the ass/etc., and wherever I go, it goes with me. So if next year rolls around and there still isn't a second chapter... then I probably exploded from frustration. O.o;;;; 


	2. Goodbye

A.N.~ Surprise! It didn't take me so long after all. In fact I typed this up in less than 12 hours. In just over 10 hours to be exact. I just stayed up working on this from 2 AM to noon and I didn't expect to finish the chapter. Now I am about to collapse and sleep all day. I have been listening to Metallica for over 15 hours now. Its getting to my head x.x I can only hope that the next chapter will come as fast. By the way, I still don't own anyone but Shane, who turns out to be me oddly enough. I don't own Metallica either u.u Metallica belongs to James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich etc. Harvest Moon 64 is owned by Natume still. At least it says so in the game : ) They apparently later went to school and learned to spell their name. But here is chapter 2.  
  
-----  
  
Chapter 2- Goodbye  
  
It was around an hour later when the man finally arrived, and Dad walked through the door behind him. Dad was wearing a navy-blue suit with a black tie, but that was pretty typical for him. The tears in my eyes had ceased for the time being but they were far from dry. I still was sitting in the floor; I hadn't moved at all since I sat down earlier, and I had been thinking about all I had missed out on while I was stuck in the city. I wish Grandpa would've gotten better instead, he certainly had many things to tell me. Wisdom that he would take to his grave now. His weak voice still sounded out his last words in my ear. The image of his strained face was burned into my mind as he had been fighting just for another breath. It was the first time I had ever seen someone die and I really hoped it would be the last time as well.  
  
Dad and the man both looked over at Grandpa and then turned their looks to me. I shook my head slowly to confirm what they already knew and they lowered their heads in respect. I felt the tears start to fill my eyes again but this time they didn't come out. Dad, clearly sad although he tried not to show it, walked to Grandpa's bed and knelt bed-side, looking at the pale, lifeless face of the frail old man. What he said next confused me though.  
  
"Don't worry Father, it is safe for now. Rest easy with Mother," he said softly, yet clearly audible across the room where I still sat. It is safe? What is? Safe from what? Dad rose to his feet again and turned towards the other man and motioned to him with his fingers to come over to him. The man approached him and they lifted Grandpa from his bed. Grandpa was wearing overalls with the shoulder straps unbuckled and he had an old white shirt with yellowish-green stains and slightly reddish-brown stains on it. The shirt must have been an old work shirt but the overalls must have been newer, maybe given to him after he retired from his work on the farm. I couldn't see any stains on them anywhere. They carried him out of the house and rising from the floor, standing for the first time since Grandpa passed on, I followed them, closing the creaky door as I left the house. My dad was holding Grandpa's shoulders and the large man was holding his feet; the man certainly could heft Grandpa over his shoulder and carry him alone, but he just carried Grandpa's legs and guided Dad, who was walking backwards to where they were taking Grandpa.  
  
They carried him to the house where the old man had let the dog inside when I had passed through here earlier. The man sat Grandpa's feet on the ground and walked around Dad and knocked at the door. As I expected, the old man opened the door and they carried Grandpa inside. The door closed behind them; I guess Dad didn't notice me following them. I didn't think I should invite myself in and I didn't know the old man, so I just waited outside. After a few minutes passed I decided they weren't coming out any time soon. I was becoming quite bored and then I remembered my belongings I had left in Dad's car. Not wanting to forget them and have Dad leave with them, I thought it best to go ahead and get them. On the plus side, I would be able to listen to my Metallica CD's. I retraced my path back through the dark to the big man's house under the assumption that Dad had parked his car there as well. The moon, shining bright, cast a faint light on the ground and made the trip easier. I still would have liked to have had a flashlight though.  
  
Dad's car was parked in the man's yard, right beside the truck to be exact. Luckily the doors were not locked as I didn't have a key to unlock them. As I opened the passenger side door, the inside light in the car came to life. I collected my bag containing my walkman, CD's, and a couple days worth of clothing and closed the car door and looked up at the sky. As I stood there, my mind wandered back to Grandpa. What did he want me to do? Was I supposed to tell Dad something for him? Did he have some unfinished business for me to attend to? The tears, having filled my eyes again, spilled down my cheeks as one of many scattered clouds began to cover the moon slowly. The faint light diminished around me and I realized how cold it was with a shiver. I didn't want to get too cold out here so I decided to return to see if Dad had went back to the farm yet. Leaving the yard I saw someone walking toward me. It must have been that large man coming home.  
  
"Hey," I called to him as he approached.  
  
"Your Dad is waiting for you at Eddie's farm," he called back to me.  
  
"What is your name?" I asked realizing I didn't know even his name.  
  
"Roger, yours?" he answered, scratching his head as he asked me my name too, while I walked by him.  
  
"Shane," I replied, shivering slightly."I'll talk to you later, its cold out here and I better find Dad before he gets lost out here."  
  
He laughed at that as if it were funnier than it was. It didn't really seem that funny to me, but my mind was still occupied with Grandpa. I couldn't take my mind off of him. Grandpa, what am I supposed to do? I decided to put my thoughts aside and go to the farm before Dad decided to leave to find me instead. I walked back to the farm the same way as I had when I first arrived. Boringly, it had not changed but it would have worried me if it had. I heard a door close ahead of me as I neared the large house shielded by the ivy barrier. A somewhat short figure quickly moved into my sight and hurried off in the direction I was headed, probably to the house Dad and Roger took Grandpa to. The person wore a hat whomever it was. The moon was still covered by clouds I saw, looking up. The clouds didn't seem to be so scattered anymore; they were starting to cover the sky now, sweeping across like a blanket, effectively drowning out most of the light. God I needed a flashlight now. I continued forward, knowing that I wouldn't get lost so long as I didn't stray from my path. I heard a door open and close nearby, signaling that the, I guess it was a man, had reached his destination.  
  
That's when I realized how quiet it was out here. The silence was disturbing; my footsteps were the only sounds to be heard. In the movies you would always hear crickets chirping, interrupted occasionally by the hoot of an owl. There were no crickets singing here though, no owl hoots ringing out from this darkness, not even the low croak of a frog could be heard. Only the sound of my shoes hitting the dirt was heard. It was rather creepy to say the least. I needed my noise, so I did the most sensible thing I could think of; I grabbed my walkman and opened it. I fumbled around in the bag for a CD and pulled out a case that I hoped had a CD in it. I remembered listening to my Ride the Lightning CD on the way here and that was the CD that was in the walkman at the time. I looked closely at the case but, to my dismay, I could not see what it was on it. I shrugged and removed the CD inside, which also I couldn't see well enough to tell what was on it. I replaced Ride the Lightning with this other CD and put Ride the Lightning in its place in t he empty case. Upon closing the top over the CD and pressing play, Enter Sandman started playing. I chuckled to myself, knowing why I couldn't see the case. It was solid black.  
  
Satisfied with my newfound 'noise', I continued to advance toward the farm where Dad was certainly impatiently waiting for me, likely just waiting for me to give him the key to the motel room so he could leave. I was beginning to wonder what time it was and, at the push of a button, a bright green light glowed on my watch and disappeared as I released it. Nine-seventeen... Dad must've been ready to leave by now. It gave me the sudden urge to sit down and listen to the Black Album for a little while and let him suffer. He would be so pissed off though. I guess it wouldn't be a good idea though to do that today of all days. I resumed my nice, slow- paced walk to the farm, despite the cold that was creeping through my clothes and triggering that small shiver. I saw him standing in the gate with his arms crossed when I neared the farm so I hit the pause button and slipped the headphones down to my neck where they rested on my shoulders.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked, his eyes on the bag in my hand.  
  
"I'm staying here for a little while," I answered squeezing through the gate."I talked to you the other day about staying a couple of days, remember?"  
  
"Yes," he said, "but that was before he...," he stopped on that word, I knew he didn't want to cry, especially in front of anyone, but at that moment it appeared he may do just that. After he regained his composure he nodded. "Okay, but I have a meeting tomorrow so I have to leave now."  
  
"Here is the key to the room," I said, pulling the key from my pocket. I fought myself, trying to hold back a grin. I reached out and handed him the key which he placed in his jacket pocket.  
  
"Something wrong?" he asked, noticing my inner struggle.  
  
"No...," I laughed, unable to hold it back, still bearing no intent of telling him about the room.  
  
"I'm leaving," he said, disgruntled my my laughter."I'll be back tomorrow. Bye, Shane."  
  
"Bye, Dad," I responded. I put the headphones back on and unpaused the music as he walked away. I felt sorry for him. I knew all to well how bad that room was, and didn't think for a minute he was going to sleep there, even if he tried. The sky was nearly black from the clouds and it was becoming hard to see; I needed to get inside now, it sure wasn't getting any brighter. I didn't really pay any attention to the inside of Grandpa's house when I was in there earlier. It was rather ugly and empty. He had a bed, complete with sheets pillow and a blanket, a very old model of a television set, a table, and a nightstand with a book on it. That was it. There was a calender on the wall as well, but it was last year's. I was quite tired from all the riding around I had done earlier and because I had got up early, so there wasn't anything I wanted to do but sleep. As I lay on the bed with my eyes closed, my mind still clung to thoughts of him.  
  
He was gone.  
  
Grandpa was gone.  
  
Goodbye Grandpa.  
  
-----  
  
A.N~ Not too much dialogue there, huh. It started to seem like this day would never end didn't it? I hope I'm not putting anyone to sleep. If anyone wants to know why I have Metallica CD's in there, its because I am absolutely nuts about Metallica. I have 11 Metallica CD's and 162 Metallica MP3's. I am completely crazy when it comes to Metallica. o.o Anyway, I'm very sure there will be more dialogue in chapter 3 and I stopped calling the buyer "that big man" finally. I got tired of seeing large man and big man or the man heh. There still haven't been any girls in this fic yet x.x They'll be here soon though. In chapter 3 hopefully they will show up. 


	3. Cold Water

A.N.~ If you ask me, the mayor always looks stoned. I don't know why a 'village' would have a 'town' square but I am making it the 'village' square instead. LMAO, I just looked back at "It's My Life" and realized that MirriNight also described the mayor as a clown. JadeMoonWing did too. Sorry about that, I'm not copying either of you, I guess its hard to describe him any other way heh heh heh. n.n' Anywho, I still don't own Metallica, and sadly enough I don't own Harvest Moon although the game would be much better if I did, I could write longer than this chapter a list of ideas that would improve the game series... but I don't have time to. o.O`  
  
Chapter 3- Cold Water  
  
I dreamed again that night, I had been dreaming quite often lately. I would be on the farm with Grandpa, playing with his dog. The dog was rather big.. no.. I was smaller.. It was a dream of my childhood on the farm. The house was larger too and was painted white and it was considerably larger.. Must have been my imagination. I didn't see Grandma but Grandpa was watching me. I heard a little girl's voice behind me and when I turned around I was surrounded by trees. I didn't see anything or anyone, just trees. Trees as far as you could see and far beyond. I heard the voice again. The voice of a child, sad as if about to cry. I turned to see where the voice was coming from and as my body swung around toward the source of the sound a sudden loud ringing burst from right beside my ear. I jumped with a start and found myself now in darkness, the ringing still continuing beside me. I swung my arm around realizing I was awake now and my hand met metal with a sharp pain. I screamed obscenities at the object but at least the ringing had stopped. I didn't remember seeing an alarm clock the night before, but it was off now. I layed back down slowly and raised my arm to check my watch wondering why my dream had been interrupted. Two after Six? This was way too early to get up and I was still too tired so I closed my eyes again.  
  
I soon drifted back to sleep hoping to see whose voice had drawn me into the forest. I slept for another hour but no dream, and then I heard a noise, a knock to be exact. Someone was knocking at the door. I closed my eyes again and pretended not to hear the intruder of my peaceful sleep, but if there is one thing that irritates me more than anything else could, this is it. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, the most irritating thing is to be trying to sleep while someone is making noise anywhere in my range of hearing. It drives me up the wall. Throwing the blanket off of me, I sat up and walked across the cold floor to the door. The nasty windows blocked out the morning light and I was glad this house was so empty. I would clean these windows before I left. First I was going to open the door and try not to scream at whoever woke me up. There was a short man at the door. I stood at five foot, eleven inches. This fellow was maybe five foot, 6 inches. He was comical looking. He wore a red top hat, a little to small for his head. It didn't even cover the bald spot that spread from his forehead all the way across the top of his head. The man's brown hair was shaggy despite the large bare spot and it curled away from his head. His mustache was thick and nealy covered his mouth. He was wearing a red coat that matched his hat and he wore a white shirt with a green tie. is eyes were small and beady, and he had these tiny spectacles on a large, noticably red nose. His pants were red like his coat and hat, completing the suit. The pants ended at a pair of black shoes, and he looked almost like a clown that forgot to put make-up on.  
  
"Good morning, I am Ralph, the Mayor of Flower Bud Village," the Mayor said, introducing himself. "We are having Eddie's wake in the village square this morning. He was a great man and we will all miss him."  
  
"His... wake?" I asked, figuring it to be some kind of funeral.  
  
"Yes, friends and family gather to guide his spirit to heaven with prayer after he is buried, and everyone talks to each other afterwards," he explained.  
  
"Count me in, but I need to wash up first," I said just before remembering that I hadn't noticed a bathroom anywhere.  
  
Ralph looked at me quizzically for a minute. I reckon that meant that there wasn't a bathtub here.  
  
This was not looking good. That must have been why Dad went to the motel. This was still better by far than the disgusting room I had stumbled upon there. There was no bathroom though, not even a nasty one.  
  
"I'm the mayor and I have many things to do today so I'll leave you to prepare," he started. "There isn't a wash room here though."  
  
"I noticed," I grumbled with more than a hint of distaste. "I can find 'some' way though," I hoped.  
  
"The wake will start at Nine. Don't be late," he finished, extending his hand.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be there..," I shook his hand firmly, just like Dad had told me. 'Always give a strong handshake with a firm grip,' he would say and had been saying ever since I started school. Ralph walked away hurriedly the way he had went to the old man's house the night before. He must have been proud of his Mayor status. I imagined him running around saying "I'm the mayor and you aren't" laughing. I could barely hold back my laughter, he looked like a clown, and he waddled like a duck. I was still wearing all my clothes from yesterday so I just needed to put my shoes on before going outside. After slipping them on, I took a stroll out into the yard, looking around. The morning dew glistened by the light of the rising sun like tiny shards of crystal sprinkled across the lawn, a magnificent sight, stunning... You would never see this where I came from. The air, ever so pure, refreshed me incredibly with each breath I took, the chilly air filling my lungs seemed alien to me. So clean.. I could live here, bathroom or not.  
  
In front of me was an old dog house, much in the same condition as Grandpa's ramshackle house. I turned to look back at Grandpa's house in comparison and noted that the roof was red whereas the dog house had an unpainted wooden roof. I didn't see a dog anywhere though. I guess little Jiro grew old and died long ago, I believe that is what Grandpa had named the dog, but my mind was very hazy on the subject of that part of my childhood. I took a look behind the house but I was only half satisfied with my findings. An outhouse, how fun... At least it was better than making like a cat and digging a hole, as I had read in a few adventure novels. It was a typical outhouse, four walls and a door, shaped almost like a telephone booth, and there was a crescent moon etched into the door. As I opened the door, I prayed silent prayers for toilet paper. There was a bucket of water and a towel. More fun... Maybe staying here wasn't such a grand idea after all.  
  
At the very least it was peaceful and the air was clean, but it sure came at an inconvenience. I needed a bath too, though. I turned from the outhouse and after seeing what lay before me, my jaw dropped. What surely was once a splendid field full of produce was now overrun with weeds. The lot had grown several trees as well, and they had been chopped down, the stumps a remainder and a reminder, a testament to the neglect and disuse of the land. Several stones and rocks, various in size, also littered the old farm land, the earth concealing them having been washed away by seasons of rain. It no longer looked like a farm here except for the barn. The barn, I noticed, had a horse stable on the left side and a silo built alongside on the right. Both barn and stable had a blue roof and, like everything else, were composed of wood. The silo, however, was made of large stone blocks and its circular roof was red, much the same as the color of the roof of the house. The silo stood between the barn and a smaller building, I remembered it; Grandpa kept his chickens in there. They all appeared to be rather run down, but overall seemed to be in better condition than the house. Walking by the barn and chicken coop, I observed what was probably a box for storing lumber. There was none there but the box contained many scraps of bark and a few twigs.  
  
I continued on and I came upon a well, I suppose you could call it that. It was a hole in the ground full of water and it was very deep. It was fairly big and it was lined with stone as far down as I could see into the depths of the water. I was quite thirsty, so, kneeling down, I cupped my hands together and dipped them into the cold water and drank my fill. I had an idea and it was likely the only way I was going to clean up for the funeral. Mayor Ralph called it a wake, but I was pretty sure it would be just like a funeral. I returned to the house and took some clothes from my bag and returned to the well. I pulled my shoes and socks off first, and set my clothes on top of them and sat down by the side of the well. Or at least that's what I had in mind... As I stopped to sit down, my feet slipped on the dew-wettened grass and plunged into the icy water with a big splash.  
  
"Shi...!!" I yelled in surprise, quickly disappearing beneath the surface. I caught a mouthful of water and frantically flailed in the cold water. Struggling, I reached the surface and scrambled out as fast as I could. I collapsed abruptly on the ground, shivering. I was still clothed and my clothes were soaked with the ice-cold water, and my teeth chattered.  
  
"C-COLD!!!" I stammered, getting to my feet and grabbing my clothes. They were soaked too from the splash. "Shit..." I collected my clothes and my still dry shoes and hurried back to the house again. The cold air stung my wet skin as I half walked-half ran to the door. After entering the house, I swiftly disgarbed, casting my wet clothes aside on the floor. I now wished I had brought a towel with me from home. There was not a towel in sight, not one to be found. Of course, there was still that towel in the outhouse, but that was not considered an option, not in any scenario. Though I was pretty sure it was only there for drying off, I wasn't about to take that chance. I wrung the water out of my wet clotes and tried to use them to dry off a little, with minor results except for my hair, which easily was drenched more than my shirt. The best I could do now was put on my other change of clothes and get back in bed under the blanket. I checked my watch first, wondering how much time was left before I had to leave. Seven-forty three? That left me with plenty of time to warm up under the blanket before nine. After slipping on a black shirt, short sleeved, and a pair of blue shorts, I pulled the blanket back on the bed and layed down. It felt nice, lying under the blanket again. I've heard that the average time it takes for someone to fall asleep is seven minutes; it took well over thirty minutes for me to fall asleep last night, closer to an hour. My thoughts were heavy, and didn't subside until I was too tired to think and only then did the sleep come. My mind was relatively at ease today, but he was still in my thoughts. I really wanted to know what he was trying to tell me, if only he lived a minute longer...  
  
I was in the forest again, whether it was the same place as the dream I had earlier, I couldn't tell; when you are lost, I imagine all forests would look the same, or they might as well. Was this a place I had been before? Was it just a strange recurrence? I turned all the way around, looking for anything, a path, another person, animals... anything. All I could see were trees extending for what seemed forever in every direction. Forbidding me to leave, daring me to try to find my way out. No thoughts as to where to go, almost infinite possibilities of going nowhere no matter which direction I walked.  
  
"Shane..."  
  
I opened my eyes and I was in bed again. It was that voice. Where was it coming from? There hadn't been anyone in sight. The voice of a child, a little girl, coming from nowhere.. Then it hit me.  
  
"Damn, I fell asleep!"  
  
A.N.~ Nope, no girls yet. I decided to divide this day into 3 chapters to cut down on the length of each chapter. Thanks to MirriNight for her advice on that matter. After 2 months of being broke up with my girlfriend, Amber, I talked to her for 4 hours Saturday night and we are together again n.n Yay! umm.. n/m. If I keep writing about Amber I will end up with 2,000 words here so I'll be quiet now. x.x' I love you Amber! 


	4. The Funeral Gathering

A.N.~ Sorry it took so long, I went two weeks without writing any of this chapter. Once I really got started writing, the words just flew out etc. I have been working on a still incomplete website, which is on my bio if anyone wants to see it. It's mainly a Final Fantasy VI site since that's my favorite game. Enough about that. Today is March the 25th, the birthday of my girlfriend Amber. Happy Birthday Amber! I love you -blows a kiss to her from the Author Note- Anyway still no girls, well not elligible girls anyway, and this was actually gonna be part of Chapter 3 until I split it up. I hate chapters that are too long. The eternal day continues. I own Shane. I am Shane. Wait, Amber kinda owns me. I still own me too o.o I do not own Harvest Moon. I do not own Metallica. I do own my fanfic and the evil box I type this fanfic on.  
  
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Chapter 4- The Funeral Gathering  
  
It was ten after eleven. 'Don't be late' the mayor had said. Well so much for the idea of being on time. I hopped out of bed and put my shoes on, running out of the house without a second look. I was dry now and it was a lot warmer outside now, the sun shining bright in the light blue sky. The sky was clear, the clouds that cloaked the sky last night had since blown away. It was a beautiful day, the leaves had grown on the trees that had undoubtedly been barren not long ago in the winter, and flowers had started growing. Not on Grandpa's farm, but in this area outside the farm alongside the trees, several flowers were springing up. The flowers hadn't blossomed yet, but it was only the second day of Spring. Where is the village square though? I'm sure I didn't pass it last night.. I decided to take the other path, the one that went through the village, rather than the one that seemingly dodged around it. To my left was a small house, tan colored, with a darker brown roof. The house was fenced on one side by carefully trimmed box hedges. The windows were open and a wonderful smell flowed from them. Why if I weren't already late... never mind. Guess I was hungry, I hadn't eaten since I got here.  
  
There was a nice house on the right, blue roof, and a wooden fence surrounding it and white fencing against the house. Many flowers had been planted around the sides of the house, and they appeared to be ready to bloom. This was certainly too soon for that but maybe I was wrong. There was a greenhouse in the backyard and, from what I could see, there were many exotic flowers and various other plants growing inside. That would be quite the sight to see for someone who had the interest and the time. I had just enough of the former but none of the latter to spare so I pressed onward. Where was the Village Square? There was a small church, relatively small for a church anyway. Hmm... Up ahead I saw cemented stairways, two of them leading upwards. The square had to be that way; there wasn't anyone around here. What if I missed the 'wake'? That would make me no better than my dad, unless he had actually made it. That would make me worse, because I was here and had been awake and informed. On that thought I ran up the steps, two at a time. Quite a few people were gathered at the top. The square was paved with cobblestones and everyone was seated on blankets. Despite the blankets, I bet it was uncomfortable sitting down here. The Village Square was lined with flowers and behind the flowers were green bushes also in a line. A row of cherry trees with numerous lovely pink blossoms stood in place behind the bushes and it was the same on both sides. At the other end of the square, there was a large wall and it was bare with the exception of a door and a fountain; the fountain was at the center of the wall while the door was midway to the left from the edge of the square.  
  
Mayor Ralph stood near the door alone, as if he were shunned by the other villagers, and as I spotted him, he spotted me. He, as expected, showed disappointment at my tardiness and shook his head as I shrugged back at him, I hadn't meant to fall asleep, or fall into the well for that matter, but whatever. I didn't feel up to delving into the story with him of my pleasant acquaintance with the well. That meant tolerating his disapproval. It was my grandfather's funeral after all. I did feel guilty being late. Dad wasn't here; I shook my head to myself. What is with that asshole? He missed his father's funeral and didn't even bother to come at all when Grandma died. If this was what being an adult meant... no, it's not that. It's just Dad. Other adults care about their parents. So I hope. Come to think about it, I seem to dislike my dad. That makes me no different; every word I say about Dad seems to apply to me as well at this time. Damn it, what are you doing to me Dad!? I turned my attention from my thoughts to find everyone staring at me. I realized now that my muscles were tense and my fists were clinched. I wanted to scream "Stop looking at me!" but I was able to restrain myself. The thought of becoming the person in my life that I opposed most angered me and I just couldn't stand myself. I breathed slowly, in and out, in and out, deep breaths. Calming down, I knew I was wrong. Dad cared about his parents, he was just too busy doing "more important things". Everyone had resumed his or her conversations with one another and it seemed as if no one had even known I was standing here now.  
  
Roger was seated on a blanket near where the mayor was standing, and an old man sat next to him along with three children and an old woman. The old man was completely dressed in red, much like Mayor Ralph, but his clothing was much more loose; he wore a red hat too, but it was more like a cap of some sort than the tall hat Ralph had on. He looked Chinese from the slant of his eyes and his long white mustache hung down over his mouth. It was thin and had the slightest yellowish tinge to it. One of the children, a young boy, was wearing a bright yellow shirt and a pair of denim shorts. His brown hair was kept pretty short. The boy beside him, younger with black hair, had a bowl cut and wore a white, short sleeved button-up shirt. He had blue shorts on too, but his weren't denim and a pair of black suspenders was fastened to them over his shoulders. The third child, a girl, was dressed in a red dress with a green ribbon tied around the waist in a bow. Her black hair was thick and just longer than shoulder length and it hung over her shoulders in short braids.  
  
Roger had come dressed the same way as he was dressed yesterday, only with a new shirt, a black one, white suspenders and blue jeans. The old woman wore a red dress over a black garment and her gray hair was braided to the sides the same as the little girl and hung over her shoulder. She was probably her grandmother and maybe Roger's mother. She had a gentle face; her wrinkles were many in the way of smile lines. Even now she was smiling. There were other people on a nearby blanket. An old man, and two young men, all dressed alike in jeans, a white shirt and a length of white rope tied around their head. The old man was completely bald and he smoked a long, narrow pipe. He was a scrawny man. The younger men were clearly twins, as I could not tell them apart looking at them. Their black hair was cut flat on the top but wasn't really short. There was a man dressed in black, quite a fat man at that. He wore a white undershirt with what appeared to be some sort of black robe. He had a round hat with a white stripe around the base and a short black mustache. He wore glasses with a thin, circular, black frame and he held a Bible in his hand; he was obviously the religious leader around here. Come to think of it, I did see a church near the houses I passed.  
  
I didn't know anyone here; I wish Dad would've just turned up. I hate being around people I don't know unless there is someone with me. Chalk that one up to being shy. I can't stand the feeling of being all alone when I am surrounded by others. I couldn't bring myself to sit with anyone. I kept my distance away from the group and sat alone and listened to the others talk. No one paid me any mind as I eavesdropped on their conversation; I was sitting near Roger so I missed what the other group was saying.  
  
"I can't believe he is really gone," the old lady said, the tone of her voice betraying the smile that had been on her face."He was always so healthy too."  
  
"Yes," the old man in red chimed in."He was always healthy, healthier than I have been. I would like to know how he became so sick all of a sudden."  
  
"I am sad to see him go. It won't be the same with out him there on the farm," Roger appeared downcast, he was maybe a closer friend to Grandpa than the other people were.  
  
"We all are, but I am glad he isn't suffering anymore. I was happy to hear he finally was able to see his grandson again before it was over," said the old woman, her voice returning to a less gloomy pitch.  
  
"Yeah, and he's sitting over there alone," Roger replied, gesturing towards me. I pretended not to notice as they talked about me.  
  
"Poor kid..."  
  
"Hardly a kid, he's bigger than you Mother," Roger told her. Hmm, so I was right. It was his mom.  
  
"I see, he was so little back then," her voice no longer carried the sadness that had filled it before.  
  
"Yes, he was small, smaller than Kent and Stu are now," the old man responded, drawing the attention of the two boys momentarily as he looked at them. The boys and the girl were laughing among themselves, entertaining one another. I doubt they understood what happened.  
  
"It's a shame that the farm is in such bad shape, I think maybe that the land will have to be sold," Roger said, disheartened, changing the subject.  
  
"Nonsense. The Mayor wouldn't allow it," Roger's mom seemed to take offense at the mention of selling the land off. I cringed at the thought of losing the farm. That farm had been in our family for many generations. I had seen the land though. It really was ruined. It would take a lot of hard work before it could be farmed again.  
  
"The Mayor may not be able to stop it. Since the farm is so badly over run with weeds and even trees... I don't think anyone would take up that job," Roger said, and he had a good point.  
  
"You think I don't see that?" his mom was becoming upset from the tone of her voice, the farm seemed important to the village.  
  
"Roger," the old man started, "maybe you should take up work on the farm. You aren't old yet. You could do it."  
  
"You know I can't farm and deliver all the produce too. If I don't sell the village's goods, how will the Mayor get the money to pay the electric bill?"  
  
"Well..." the old man started, but he obviously didn't have any ideas.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Do you really think the farm will be sold, Roger?" asked the his mom, worry seeping into her voice quickly.  
  
"A company has been wanting to buy it for years."  
  
"I see..." she was becoming distressed from what she was hearing.  
  
"We may have to give up the land. Eddie's son doesn't like it much, but he thinks so too." I focussed my attention to this conversation upon the mention of my dad. I thought he would be the type to take the money and run, but maybe I was slightly wrong about him. Maybe..  
  
The Mayor saw me sitting there alone and I guess decided to talk to me because he was walking towards me. I looked up at him as he approached, wondering what he wanted.  
  
"You have my deepest condolences, I am truly sorry for your loss. Where is your father this morning?" Ralph seemed much more interested in talking to my dad than me.  
  
"He has 'more important' things to do than to attend his father's funeral." I forced the coldest tone of voice I could muster, giving strong emphasis to 'more important' and rolled my eyes as I said it. "In fact, if I wasn't here, I don't think he would even come back today."  
  
"I am certain he would come around," he replied, not the slightest hint of doubt in his voice.  
  
"What makes you so sure?" I couldn't help but be skeptical, no matter how sure Mayor Ralph was about Dad. I knew Dad. He wasn't even going to come, but I made him bring me to see Grandpa. It took support from my fellow co-workers even then. Dad really hates having to put up with a strike, and that is exactly what we threatened him with.  
  
"I have my reasons... " He seemed to.  
  
"So he could sell off the farm?" I couldn't think of any other reason for him to come back. The only thing that seems to motivate that man is money...  
  
"So you have heard about that already..."  
  
"Mmhmm. That is so Dad. Money, money, money... It makes me sick. I got a good look at the farm this morning though; I don't see any chance of it being restored." I slumped over, staring down at the cobbled pavement, knowing that Dad was going to win this battle.  
  
"Sure enough..." I didn't have to look up to know the expression on his face. I had seen it on everyone's face. Everybody was depressed over this situation. It made my blood boil to know I couldn't fight Dad on this. I certainly wouldn't let him enjoy it though. He would pay for this. No matter what I had to do.  
  
"Look. I really don't need all this. Where was Grandpa buried?" I stood up, lifting my gaze from the ground, trying to shake off my anger again. I didn't need all this depression.  
  
"Follow me, it's right this way," he answered, leading the way down the steps as I followed.  
  
I walked past a few buildings and the Mayor's house as I followed him, wondering where we were heading. In front of the rough-looking shack that Roger's mother lived in, there was an enclosed cemetary with several graves inside. I walked around the Mayor to the freshly filled plot that Grandpa's body was buried in, not waiting for Ralph to point it out and I turned back to him.  
  
"I need.. to be alone." The mayor nodded slowly in an understanding way with a solemn look on his face and returned to the Village Square as I slowly knelt before the grave of my grandfather.  
  
"I wish you were still here Grandpa. I don't know what to do. I can't do anything." Sitting there, I felt like a helpless child, abandoned with nowhere to turn.  
  
"Grandpa... I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry!" I completely lost it then, and crying uncontrollably, the tears streamed down my face, blurring my sight fully.  
  
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Well guess what. Two chapters and it is still morning. It isn't the eternal day for nothing. Maybe I will finish this day by Chapter 6 or 7. I didn't see this chapter ending this way. It surprised me and almost made me cry when the thoughts came to me. Stay tuned for Chapter 5.(If this story isn't boring)  
  
~Shane 


	5. Showdown: Father and Son

A.N.~ I haven't been writing much lately, because things have been going on, and it amazes me sometimes to realize that I have a life, but yeah. I beat Final Fantasy Tactics, Seiken Densetsu 3, Ninja Gaiden 2 (for the first time in over 10 years), had problems with my girlfriend, broke up with her, apologized for the mean things I said when I broke up with her, seen my friend disappear online for about a week because his computer screwed up, I've bought a new computer, I've been married twice on Harvest Moon for SNES, lost both my cats to some illness... (see below), had my Uncle Jack move in (he's not a farmer btw).  
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Dedicated to my cat Terra who died on 4/21/02 11:05 PM Eastern Time and to my other cat Celes who died on 4/27/02, being put to sleep after going into convulsions from the treatment the Vet tried to give her. Also to my Grandmother who died at 9:30AM on Friday 7/26/02 after battling cancer for years. My uncle Jack was hospitalized the next day. He died 3 weeks afterwards. e.e;;;;;; If I tell everything that has happened to prevent me from writing, I'd have to make a whole chapter out of it, not that I haven't almost done so already  
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Chapter 5-Showdown: Father and Son  
  
After my tears dried and my worries dwindled away, I had left the grave site to try to enjoy the time I was able to spend here. I decided upon the majestic Moon Mountain as my place to relax. Still I couldn't get over the green that spread in every direction, in contrast to the endless shades of gray I was accustomed to. As I approached a clear river, taking a seat by the riverfront, I really wondered if staying a few days was even an option anymore, and if I even wanted to stay here alone like this. The fresh air was remarkable and I could sleep easily without the constant racket I was so commonly tormented with back home, but I was completely alone here. Grandpa was gone; the farm was all but gone. There was nothing for me here. I needed a sense of belonging; where was my place in this world? I couldn't stand the city, not Brisenburg. Despite the atmosphere here, I was still left out, and didn't especially fit in. Some people probably remembered me, but I didn't remember anyone and that would make awkward conversations if I did talk to anyone.  
  
Too much worrying.. I came here to relax, and that's exactly what I was going to do. Clearing my mind was no easy task however, but as I watched the squirrels dart back and forth, occasionally climbing or descending from trees, my worries began to melt away one by one. They dashed about, seemingly to not have a care in the world. I envied that. No worries, just a thorough simplicity all in itself. Turning my attention, I gazed deep into the crystal flow before me, down into the depths where my visibility faded to darkness. I was certain that many fish dwelled in this clean water. Maybe if I had a fishing rod, I could fish here. Most of my memories of fishing with my dad were lost deep in my childhood. Dad took often when I was young, from age seven to when I was maybe eleven or twelve.. maybe ten. Dad never took me fishing after that; I guess he was just too busy. That was what happened in the summers after that last time I had went to Grandpa's farm. I didn't have the patience for fishing; that is a likely reason as well for him not taking me. I was a child though, and quite energetic. I still remember some of the scoldings but not much else. His main point was I couldn't make any sound, 'It scares the fish'. I guess Dad still had a need for the country, though you wouldn't notice if you were around him. I had long since forgotten that myself until now.  
  
I could see them down there. There were big ones too. I'd like to have had a rod with me, but no such luck. I stared at the shadows as they moved in and out of view, trying to keep my mind off the farm. It was all to no avail. My thoughts continued to linger on the future of Grandpa's land. It would certainly be given to Dad and Dad would sell it and be happy. Then th-  
I felt someone's hand on my shoulder, eliminating the thought.  
  
"Shane."  
  
It was Dad...  
  
"What do you want?" I asked. I didn't turn around, didn't want to see him. Wanted him to just go away. Wished I hadn't even responded at all. He missed the funeral as I expected. Now he was here to finish ruining my day; why does he bother talking to me anyway?  
  
"I'm sorry I'm so late, but the meeting ran long this morning"  
His voice tried to conceal his sadness but failed. Or was he trying to sound sad with only moderate success... That much I couldn't tell. My heart was racing as the anger raged through me. Too many damn meetings! Nothing but excuses! I had a thousand things I wanted to scream at him, but I couldn't say anything.   
  
"What's wrong...?"  
  
Or maybe I could...  
  
"What's wrong, Dad? Well, let's see... You miss your father's funeral; you never visit him while he is alive... You didn't bother coming when your own mother died, like you didn't even care about her... And not only that, but... you try to sell their land BEFORE GRANDPA IS EVEN DEAD!! THAT'S WHAT IS WRONG!!" I turned to face him with tears returning to my eyes and found his face was full of distress. "Don't even try to deny it. I know about your scheme. You are nothing but a heartless bastard!!"  
  
Realizing what I had just said to him, my mouth kind of hung open a little and I stood still in somewhat of a daze. I started walking slowly past him and back towards the farm, my eyes not straying from the ground. I didn't make it far however. I felt his hand grasp my shoulder again, considerably tighter than the first time. I didn't want to deal with him any more so I jerked my shoulder free and turned around to tell him to leave me alone. When I turned I noticed his face had turned red and he was glaring at me. I never saw it coming, though I should have. At that time, his fist slammed into my jaw. I stumbled backwards a few steps before I completely lost my balance and fell. I never had a chance to react; it was a complete surprise to me. My head was reeling and everything was spinning around me. I vigorously shook my head, trying to rid myself of the faintness that was consuming my world, but to no avail. I looked up with a blank stare, bewildered with my grogginess. He hit me. The thought echoed through my mind like a broken record. He HIT me. That bastard hit me! Lightheaded... my eyes started to close as if by force. I fought it but my efforts were in vain.  
  
When I opened my eyes I was alone. I was lying in the bed at Grandpa's. Dad was nowhere to be found, a blessing that I was very thankful for. I was glad he didn't hit me in the nose or the eye; it was embarrassing enough without having a black eye or any bleeding. As I sat up in the bed, the familiar dizziness filled me again and slowly went away. I ambled out of bed, finding it hard to stand. Damn… he got me good...  
I staggered out of the house to find I was not alone after all. Dad was sitting on the doghouse, apparently waiting for me to regain consciousness. I was overcome by anger at the sight of him; burning, seething feeling ripping away inside, stripping me of civilized logic, releasing an inhuman desire to kill... to destroy. They always would say 'You don't really hate him' when I talked about my feelings about Dad, but they would definitely be wrong this time. My fists were clinched, the skin on my knuckles was drawn tight and they were now white. I had to get away, had to get away from him before I lost control. As I stormed past him, I could see him turn towards me.  
  
"Shane!"  
  
I ignored him, trying to get away before he made me any angrier than I already was. I could hear his footsteps as he started following me. I knew he wouldn't stop until he caught me, but I knew what I'd end up doing to him if he did catch up to me. I walked faster, not wanting to give in to the anger that still flowed through me. By the pace of his steps, I knew he was walking faster than me so I started sprinting; I knew he wouldn't run after me and that he couldn't catch me if he did. I didn't know my way around, but I hadn't gone far beyond the river I had relaxed by when Dad had interrupted me. I didn't think he would bother following me now, so I sat down on a tree stump and took a look around at my surroundings. There were flowers in full bloom, all around. It was surprising to see such a sight this early. Maybe the conditions here allowed plants to thrive. There was definitely something to this place. By the base of a cliff, I saw a small spring and from it a gentle stream flowed. There was a bridge crossing this stream and beyond the bridge was a forest. There was a path going through the forest, a path I hoped I wouldn't have to use. If Dad found me I wouldn't hesitate though. I was no longer mad though; it seemed as though the atmosphere of this place had soothed all my anger. I felt something special in the air here.  
  
"Son…" I knew he'd follow me. Just knew it. …And he did.  
  
"Dad, I'm staying at the farm. That is all I am saying. Leave me alone." I rose to my feet, brushing dirt from the stump off my backside. I didn't look at him. I just walked back to the farm as if he wasn't there. When I got there, I saw a small light-brown dog sniffing around the dog house. It was rather scrawny, and needed a bath. It had no collar and seemed to be a stray. Wondering if it would trust me, I knelt and whistled. The dog turned and stared at me for a moment, then ran to me and licked my hand. I couldn't help smiling to myself. I just had a way with animals. The dog had some white in its face and the fur on its belly was white as well. I wondered if Grandpa had any dog food anywhere. Jiro's old abandoned food dish still sat in front of the doghouse, faded by years of use. I scratched the dog, actually a puppy still, behind his ears.  
  
"I think I will name you…umm…James," I said to the scruffy puppy. He licked my face with approval. "James it is then."  
  
I then went to the house in hopes of any kind of dog food. The old door creaked as I opened it, and I scanned the room for anything the dog might eat. Only a bag of rice was found. I wondered if the dog would eat hard, uncooked rice. My bet was that he wouldn't, so I walked back outside. James ran to me and was wagging his tail.  
  
"Sorry fella, couldn't find any food for you.." He ran around me in circles, excited by my presence nonetheless. I sighed to myself, and decided to return to Grandpa's grave once more. To my amusement, James accompanied me, running around energetically. Turning to watch James prancing around, I bumped into someone.  
  
"Oh sorry, I was watching the dog." I turned back around to see a young lady. I reached my hand down to help her up; she was kind of red-headed, and she had her hair tied back in a braided pony tail with a white bow. She had a yellow shirt on and she had blue overalls on over it. She took my hand and I gave a gentle tug to help her to her feet. She brushed her self off and smiled at me.  
  
"Hi, my name is Ann."  
  
"Sorry for knocking you over like that, my name is Shane. I came to see my Grandpa because he was ill." As I said this, her smile shifted to a frown.  
  
"I'm sorry about your Grandpa. Oh, I have to go home now. Nice meeting you."   
I watched as she walked away, and then went on my way to the cemetery. James had wandered away when I bumped into Ann and was nowhere in sight. The dark brown dog that I had seen the night before barked as I passed by, and I saw the two boys from earlier playing with it. I continued on my way to the nearby cemetery and knelt again before the grave.  
  
"Grandpa, I will restore your farm and make you proud. I won't let you down." I could feel inside me, somehow, that this is the way he wanted it.  
  
"I promise."  
  
-----  
I finally finished Chapter 5! I stopped writing for a looooong time there. You might even have to read the other chapters again to know what is going on. e.e!! I just never felt like writing and didn't have time when the urge came up. The eternal day SHOULD end in Chapter 6, which will hopefully *hopefully* show up this year. e.e; Sorry if I kept anyone waiting.  
~Sheep/Shane/etc. 


End file.
